“A couple cops came up to me, asked me was I drunk,” Stevenson said. “I said no but I had a couple drinks. I guess he talked to somebody else and then he just put me in handcuffs for no reason.”

He was arrested without incident on a Class C misdemeanor charge, based on the results of a sobriety test, an officer’s observations and his statements.

“They felt he was a danger to himself and others,” Irving public information officer John Argumaniz said. “Basically, he was intoxicated to a point where [police] didn’t feel comfortable letting him walk away or leave. They didn’t have any other options at that point.”

In the interview with KDFW, Stevenson said the police characterization of his condition wasn’t accurate.

“I always knew where I was at. … If it was that bad, if it was that wasted, I wouldn’t have been out of jail in three hours on a $400 fine,” he said. “I just think people, they take things out of proportion, and when you’re a champion everything is under a microscope.”

The Mavericks said they were not aware of the incident and declined comment.

Stevenson is a good defender and lights-out three-point shooter who has a long-standing feud with Miami Heat forward LeBron James. He becomes a free agent on July 1st.

I am really, really surprised the officers didn’t give him a ride home. He is a pretty recognizable person who just won championship! I have had friends in college who have had the police officers just drop them off at their house without arresting them. Sorta gotta let the guy slide on this one in my opinion, unless he was really out of control and acting aggressive or violent.

I agree, but nowadays if you’re a star the cops are all over you. I guess they want their names in the paper. Just dumb. On the other hand I’m sure “Lights Out” Stevenson was not alone. Where was his entourage? Maybe they left before the bar tab arrived.

This reminds me of a certain legend of the game who found himself intoxicated on a leafy substance – which at the time was not included on the list of substances being screened officially by the league. He was so affected, as a matter of fact, that he attempted to return a number of items to a local mini-mart, items which in a wave of paranoia he’d mistakenly thought to have stolen. The person in question? None other than one, Skibby MaRue! True story.